Cable wrapping machine



Jan. 29, 1935. s FRENCH ET AL 1,989,135

CABLE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed July 9, 19 2 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSSTANLEY FORREST FRENCH E/PNEST LOU/5 JUNGHANN-S ATTORNEYS 9, 9 s. F.FRENCH ET AL 1,989,135

CABLE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Hllllllllllllumu m NVENTORS ST/MIL FORREST FREN ERNEST LOU/5 JU/VGHANawr ATTORN EYS Jan. 29, 1935.

5. F. FRENCH ET AL CABLE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1932 4Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V E. N TO RS STANLEY F' ORRES T FRENC H ERNES T L OU/SJU/VGHAN/VS ATTORN EYS Jan. 29, 1935. s, F. FRENCH ET AL 1989,1135

CABLE WRAPP I NG MACHINE Filed July 9, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORSSTANLEY ORREST FRENCH ERNEST u/s Jl/NGHANNS PPM ATTORN EYS Patented Jan.29, 1935 UNITED STATES CABLE WRAPPING MACHINE Stanley Forrest French,

Dobbs Ferry, and Ernest Louis Junghanns, Yonkers, N. Y., assignors toAnaconda Wire & Cable Company, New York, N. 11., a corporation ofDelaware Application July 9, 1932, Serial No. 621,568

8 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for wrapping tape, strips, cords andthe like around conductors, cables, cores and the like and more par-'ticularly to wrapping mechanism of the so-called planetary type whereinrelative motions of longitudinal advance and planetary revolution aregiven to the cable and tape respectively.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedwrapping machine of the planetary type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved meansto supply the wrappings from the unwinding roll of tape, strip, cord orthe like to a conductor, cable or the like at a substantially constanttension.

Another object of the present invention is to facilitate the wrapping ofconductor, cable or the like with tape, strip, cords and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved tape rollsupporting means wherein means are provided to permit ready and quickremoval and replacement of the roll, means are provided to accommodatesuccessive rolls of variable widths as desired, means are provided topermit the roll to rotate freely about its center axis and frictionbrake means are provided to supply the unwinding tape to tensioningmeans intermediate the roll and cable at a substantially constanttension at all tape roll diameters.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the invention is morefully disclosed.

In wrapping machines of the planetary type it is customary to providemeans to sustain a cable in a straightaway course, means to support oneor more tape rolls adjacent the course, and means to impart to the cableand tape roll relative motions of longitudinal advance and of planetaryrevolution. It is customary to rotatably support the roll upon asuitable head or frame rotatable about the cable as an axis, and toprovide a tensioning device between the cable and tape roll to maintaina desired tension in the tape as it is wrapped upon the cable. It isalso customary to provide guide means to apply the'tape to the cablesubstantially free from lateral restraint. I

In copending application entitled Tape tensioning means, Ser. No.613,377, filed May 25, 1932 by Stanley Forrest French, one of thecoinventors of the present invention is disclosed an improved type oftape tensioning means wherein electrically controlled means are utilizedto maintain a substantially constant tension in the tape beingv wrappedupon the cable. The tape tensioning means of this copending applicationessentially comprises a drum operatively connected with an electricmotor to be driven thereby in one direction and means to pass the tapefrom 'a tape roll over the drum and to the cable so that the said tapefrictionally engages the drum surface substantially as a belt to driveor rotate the drum in a direction reverse to that in which the drum isdriven or rotated by the motor. Circuit control means are provided toregulate the speed of rotation of the drum by the motor to obtain adesired tension in the tape as it leaves the drum to pass to the cable.This copending application is assigned to the same assignee as thepresent invention.

In copending application entitled Tape guide means for planetary tapingmachines, Ser. No. 621,064, filed July 6, 1932 by Ernest LouisJunghanns, one of the co-inventors of the present invention is disclosedan improved guide means to apply the tape to the cable substantiallyfree from lateral restraint. The tape guide means of this copendingapplication comprises essentially a pair of spaced cylindrical rollermembers over which the tape passing from the tape roll of the planetarytaping machine to the cable is passed before being fed to the saidcable. One of the rollers is swivelly positioned upon the rotating,

taping head of the planetary taping machine in relative close spacedrelationship to the cable course with its longitudinal rotating axislying in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of thecable, and the other roller is supported upon the taping head with itslongitudinal rotating axis lying in a plane parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the first roller at such a spaced distance therefrom as isadapted to eliminate substantially all lateral stresses and strains inthe tape as are incident to the swiveling of the first roller. Thiscopending application also is assigned to the same assignee as thepresent invention.

In accordance with the objects of the present invention, when the twoinventions of these copending applications are combined in wrappingmachines of the planetary type it has been found necessary to redesignthe machine to permit their cooperation and to obtain certain operatingbenefits arising therefrom, and to also provide improved tape rollsupporting means and an improved means to supply the unwinding tape fromthe roll to the tensioning means at a substantially constant tension atall tape roll diameters, all as will be more fully hereinafterdisclosed.

Before further disclosing the present invention reference should be madeto the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective schematicview of the planetary taping machine of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of a single taping head disclosing therelative positioning of the elements comprising the same;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of the tape roll supporting means andvariable tape roll friction simultaneous application of a plurality ofwrappings upon a single cable if desired. As shown, the machinecomprises a spider 2 rotatable about its center longitudinal axis 3 atwhich axis is disposed cable 4. Means (not shown) are provided to impartrelative motions of longitudinal advance and planetary revolution tocable 4 and spider 2 respectively. This means has heretofore beenemployed in the art.

Upon spider 1 are disposed a plurality of taping heads 1, each headbeing located at substantially the same radial distanceffrom therotating axis of the spider 2 and each head is'spaced from an adjacenthead along the spider frame with each succeeding taping head in adifferent quadrant, as is schematically shown in Fig.1. The relativespacing between each adjacent taping head may be made as small as themechanism of each taping head will permit. Each tapinghead 1 includes asuitable frame identified by numeral 1 supported on the spider frame 2,a tape roll 5 mounted on an anti-friction bearing 6 and friction means7-7 to supply the unwinding tape 5' from the roll 5 to a tape tensioningmeans 8 at a substantially constant tension at all diameters of the taperoll.

Tape tensioning means 8 is preferably of the type disclosed and claimedin copending application Ser. No. 613,377 to Stanley Forrest Frenchabove identified, and briefly comprises a rotatable drum (identified bynumeral 8) over which tape 5' passes, means 9 to maintain tape 5constantly in non-slipping frictional engagement therewith, and means torotate drum 8 in a direction opposite to the direction of rotationinduced by tape travel thereover', said means comprising a variablespeed electric motor (not shown) and an electric circuit therefor (alsonot shown) including means to control the current input to the saidmotor to obtain a desired reverse rotation of the said drum 8. Bythusplacing a regulable reverse torque on drum 8 resisting the turning ofthe drum-incident to tape 5 passing thereover a desired tensionin tape5' maybe obtained between drum 8 and cable 4. v

From the tape tensioning means 8, tape 5' passes over a tape guide meansto cable 4. The tape guide means disclosed in the drawings is sub-'stantially the guide means disclosed and claimed in copendingapplication Serial No. 621,064 to Junghanns above identified andcomprises cylindrical rollers 10 and 11 mounted upon taping head 1 torotate therewith. Roller 11 isposi tioned closely adjacent the cablecourse of cable. 4 with its rotating longitudinal axis lyingsubstantially parallel thereto, and is of the type known in the art as acaster or swivel roller,

its longitudinal rotating axis parallel to the Ion-- gitudinal rotatingaxis of roller 11, the spacing between the rollers being adapted toeliminate Roller 10 is positioned in rela-- lateral stresses and strainsfrom the tape-incident to the swiveling of roller ,11. In thisarrangement of guide means a self-adjusting angle of lay is obtained inthe tape 5" as it passes from roller 11 to cable 4 by means of theswivel mounting of roller 11 without placing on the tape any lateralstresses and strains tending to break the tape 5'.

To provide for the taking up of slack in tape 5 as it passes over guiderollers 10 and 11, roller 10 is provided with a spring 37 operating tomaintain roller 10 in frictional engagement with tape 5' as it passesthereover.

In copending application to Stanley Forrest French above identified,means were disclosed to supply tape 5' to the electrically controlledtape tensioning means 8 at a substantially constant tension independentof tape roll diameter.

Briefly, such means comprised a friction roller supported on the frame 1by means of a pivoted lever arm and adapted to rest upon the unwindingface of the tape roll. Spring tensioning means were provided to maintainthe friction roller in constant contact with the unwinding surface ofthe roll'as the diameter of the roll decreases. It is found that thismeans while operative to obtain the result desired, permitted theunwinding tape to bulge up just behind the friction roller. eliminatethis feature the means 77 of the present invention was devised.

Means 7-7, which may hereinafter be identified as pad friction means, isdesigned to give approximately constant tension in the tape leavingthepad as the pad decreases from maximum diameter to minimum diameter. Padfriction is also necessary to prevent the pad from overrunning when themachine is stopped. As above disclosed the pad center is mounted uponantifriction bearings 6 to, eliminate all possible friction at thispoint because this friction would vary with changing centrifugal force,thereby causing varying tension in the unwinding tape due to decreasingpad radius and pad weight as the pad is unrolled. It is necessary,therefore, when an antifriction" bearing is used to'apply friction tothe pad which will automatically vary with the decreasing pad radius tomaintaina determined or desired tension in the-unwinding tape as itpasses to tape tensioning means 8.

Briefiystated, the present pad friction means comprises a series ofspring fingers 13 disposed upon parallel spaced arms (identified bynumerals 7+7) radiating from the pad center support-. ing means, whichfingers are adapted to frictionally engage the pad along its entireradius on each side of the pad. The fingers are arranged.

upon the arms 7-7 so that they successively lose contact with the pad asthe pad radius decreases, thus progressively reducing' the frictionaltorque but maintaining substantially the same pull on the tape (withinrelatively small limits). Mathematical determination of .the spacing ofthe friction springs shows that a large proportion of the friction mustbe located near the center of the pad due to the fact that the tensionin the tape is at alltimes equal to the total re-' tarding torquedivided by the pad radius, It is necessary, therefore, to dispose thespring fingers 13 so that as the pad radius decreases the release 'ofthe pad friction means is proportioned to retain a. relatively largeproportion of the same about the pad center. v

There are many.- ways in which this may be accomplished; In thedrawings, the method disclosed is to increase the number of springfingers 13 towards the center of the pad, as long as is In the planetarytaping machine of the type,

described as has been heretofore disclosed it is necessary to mount thetape pad 5 upon an antifriction bearing 6 in order to eliminate variablefriction at this point. It is also necessary to provide means to readilyremove and replace the tape.

pad 5, and to adapt the tape pad mounting to receive pads of variablewidths (within certain limits) and to further provide means to adjustthe mounting so that for all pads of different widths, the pad centerline A (Fig. 4) falls in the line of rotation of the rotation axis ofthe caster guide roller 11. I

To accomplish these desired results we have designed the pad mountingdisclosed in section in Fig. 4 wherein the tape pad 5 is mounted upon ananti-friction (ball-bearing) hub 20 which in turn is mounted upon aretractable axle 21 supported upon tape head frame 1. The tape headframe 1 is comprised of two parallel spaced members (1 and 1) supportedat opposite ends upon the revolvable spider frame. 2. Elements 22 and 23carry the pad friction means 7 and 7' and are adapted to be adjustedalong the longitudinal axis of the axle 21 so as to bring the pad centerline A to a desired position between the tape head frame 1 and 1'. Theretractable axle 21 is provided with a handle 24 to provide means towithdraw the axle from the position shown to allow pad 5 to be insertedinto the position shown. Means 26 is provided to lock the rotating.

Spring tension means 25 insures that element 22 is pressing towards thepad center thus bringing friction ring 15 and spring fingers 13 againstthe pad side. I

We prefer to fixedly position element 23 carrying pad friction means "7and to fixedly position friction disk 15' thereupon. Coil springs 16,therefore, are only provided for friction disk 15 as this reduces thepossibility of lateral side play in tape pad 5 as it is revolved aboutits center axis.

The planetary taping machine-"shown and described herein is adapted forrotation of the taping head in, either clockwise or counterclockwisedirections, itmerely Wing necessary to adjust guide roller 11 to theproper position to supp y the tape 5 on the proper side of the cable 4.It is also adapted to wrap a plurality of tape sizes upon the cable '4without material adjustment in the tape roll supporting means. Anotheradvantage is that the size of the machine can be greatly reduced due tothe use of the caster type guide roller. Still another advantage lies inthe exact control over the tension of the wrapping as it is laid uponthe cable through the use of the tape tension means disclosed. As thetape tensioning means operates effectively within rela-- tively wideranges of planetary revolution speeds and the caster roller guide meansfunctions within relatively wide ranges of cable longitudinal advancespeeds, the flexibility and adap-'- tability of the machine to modernhigh speed production requirements is marked.

As an added improvement means 30 may be axle 21 from provided on thetaping head disposed at a determined point to disconnect the drivingmeans for the wrapping machine when and in the event that the tape 5' isbroken or the end of a tape passes the means 30 before anew tape roll isinserted.

Means '30 may be of anyconvenient'type and as shown in F'ig. 3 comprisesa lever arm 3132 pivoted at point 30, one arm (31) being adapted to beengaged by pin 33. When tape 5' is passing over roller 10, spring 37 iscompressed, thereby allowing arm 32 to be held in-the open position byspring 34. When the tape 5' breaks or the end passes over drum'18 springtension means 37 is released and moves roller 10, pin 33 and arm 31 tothe right causing lever arm 32 to compress spring 34' and engage withspring terminal 35 connected to lead wire 36 and closing an electricalrelay circuit which operates to disconnect the power supply to thewrapping machine and stop same. Means 30 may be positioned at the pointshown or at any other convenient point on the taping head 1.

Having broadly and specifically. described the present invention, it isbelieved apparent that many modifications and departures may be madetherein without departing essentially from the nature and scope of thesame, and such modifications and departures are anticipated as may' fallwithin the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a cable wrapping machine of the planetary type, means to sustain acable in a straightaway course, means to sustain a plurality of tap ingheads spirally about and adjacent said course, means to support a taperoll on each taping head said means providing means to permit the rolltorotate freely about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of thesaid cable, means to impart a desired and substantially constantfriction opposing the rotation of said roll about said axis irrespectiveof the diameter of saidroll, and means to lead tape from said roll tothe said cable, said -mea.ns including guide means to lay the tape upon2. .In cable wrapping machines of the type described and claimed inclaim 1, meansto support a tape roll upon a taping head, said meansincluding'ahollow centered anti-friction bearing hub member adapted tobe disposed at the center axis of the roll, an axle adapted to bereceived in said bearing, means to, retractably' support said axle uponthe taping head with its longitudinal axis in a plane substantiallyparallel to the longitudi-- nal axis of the cable, means to lock theaxle from rotation, means to frictionally engage the sides of a pad rollmounted on said axle throughout its entire radius and means toadjustably position the side friction means to permit the mounting oftape rolls of varying widths on said axle.

3. In cable .wrapping machines of. the type described and claimedinclaim 1, means to impart a substantially constant tension to the tapeunwinding fromsaid tape roll, said-means including a pair of parallelspaced armsradiating from the axle supporting means-at an anglesubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of 'said axle andadjacent the said tape roll, each of said arms carrying means tofrictionally engage the side faces of said tape roll throughout itsentension in the unwinding tape from maximum to minimum diameter of taperoll.

4. In cable wrapping machines of the type described and claimed in claim1, means to impart a substantially constant and desired tension in thetape as it is laid upon the cable, said means comprising a non-slippingfriction drum intermediate the tape roll and the cable over which theunwinding tape is passed, and electrically controlled braking meanstherefor.

5. In cable wrapping machines of the type described and claimed in claim1', guide means to lay the tape upon the cable substantially free fromlateral restraint, said means comprising a roller sustained adjacent thecable course and rotatable with the taping head, said roller beingsupported with its longitudinal rotating axis disposed in a planesubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the said cable, thesupporting means for said roller being adapted to permit the roller torotate about its transverse axis in a plane at right angles to itslongitudinal axis and in a plane adapted to maintain the center axis oftape passing thereover to the cable in a plane at substantial rightangles 'to the center axis of the tape approaching the roller from thetape tensioning means of said wrapping machine, a second rollerintermediate the first roller and the tape tensioning means around whichthe tape passes before reaching the first roller, the longitudinalrotating axis of said second roller lying in a plane substantiallyparallel to the said first roller and spaced therefrom a determineddistance.

6. In cable wrapping machines of the type described and claimed in claim1, pad friction means for tape roll, said means comprising a pair ofparallel spaced arms radiating from the tape roll supporting means onopposite sides of the roll, a plurality of spring finger memberssupported thereon and adapted to frictionally engage the sides of theroll along its entire radius, friction ring members disposed at theaxial center of said roll and adapted to frictionally engage the sidesof the roll throughout an extended area, adjustable spring tension meanson at least one of said ring members to control the extent of thefrictional engagement of said ring members at the roll center, and meansto adjustably position said arms to permit the insertion of tape rollsof varying widths therebetween.

7. In a cable wrapping machine of the planetary type, means to sustain acable in a straightaway course, means to sustain a plurality of tapingheads spirally about and adjacent said course, means to support a taperoll on each taping head said means providing means to permit the rollto rotate freely about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of thesaid cable, means to impart a desired and substantially constantfriction opposing the rotation of said roll about said axis irrespectiveof the diameter of said roll, and means to lead tape from said roll tothe said cable, said means including guide means to lay the tape uponthe cable substantially free from lateral restraint and an electricallycontrolled tape tensioning means to impart a substantially constant anddesired tension in the tape as it is laid on said cable.

8. In a cable wrapping machine of the planetary type, means to sustain acable in a straightaway course, means to sustain a plurality of tapingheads spirally about and adjacent said course, means to support a taperoll on each taping head said means providing means to permit the rollto rotate freely about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of thesaid cable, means to impart a desired and substantially constantfriction opposing the rotation of said roll about said axis irrespectiveof the diameter of said roll, and means to lead tape from said roll tothe said cable, said means including guide means to lay the tape uponthe cable substantially free from lateral restraint and an electricallycontrolled tape tensioning means to impart a substantially constant anddesired tension in the tape as it is laid on said cable, and means toautomatically disconnect the power supply to the driving means of thewrapping machine when a tape end passes a determined point on saidtaping heads.

STANLEY F. FRENCH. ERNEST L. JUNGHANNS.

